Story's Newest Book! - THE ANKULEN

Hello there! Story here commandeering my mom's blog. (Don't worry, I have her permission!)

Anyways, I'm here to show you the cover for my newest book, The Ankulen, which will be out September 5th. It's a delightful little story, if I do say so myself, and I really can't wait to share it with the world.

Fifteen-year-old Jen can't remember her imagination. She knows she had one once, though, and honestly, she'd like it back. It's been eight years. One day she finds a young boy who claims to be one of her imaginary friends and that her imaginary world is being eaten by a hydra-like monster called the Polystoikhedron. He helps her find the Ankulen, a special bracelet that had given the ability to bring her imagination to life and together they embark on a quest to find friendship, healing, and perhaps even some family.

This will be my fourth book, and my first full-length novel. Mom actually hasn't read it yet, though I've asked her to, but everyone who HAS read it has quite enjoyed it.

If you have a goodreads account, you can head over here and mark it as to-read.

I shall be having a blog party on September 6th in honor of the release, in case anyone's interested in heading over to my blog and taking part. It's going to be a lot of fun with a giveaway, mad libs, a quiz if I can put it together, and even some worldbuilding.

Kendra E. Ardnek  is the eldest daughter in a homeschooling family of four. She has been making up stories since an early age and published her first book, Sew, It's a Quest, when she was sixteen.

When she isn't writing, she's usually knitting, crocheting,  making swords out of paint-stir sticks, or looking up random facts. You can follow her writing adventures on her blog, Knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com.

Magic School Bus - Complete Series on DVD - On Sale Now

Amazon.com: Magic School Bus: The Complete Series: Lily Tomlin, Daniel DeSanto, Erica Luttrell, Maia Filar, Tara Meyer, Larry Jacobs, Charles E. Bastien: Movies & TV:


 


This normally runs for $79.99.   Sometimes it drops down to $59.99.

But right now ... it is 52% off at an unbelievably low $37.99.


Scholar received this for Christmas this year, and has loved it.

Not all of the episodes played on one of the DVD players ... but they ALL PLAY on his computer, which was a bonus for us, because his computer is in the school room!

Special Features

• Parent's Guide Includes: A List of All Episodes and Topics, Tips for Viewing, Ideas for Family Science Fun, and more!
• Kid's Guide Includes: Experiments, Activities, Facts and Notes, and more!
• Languages: English and Spanish

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

88 of 90 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars DVD Details For An Impressive Set That Advocates Active Learning And Parental Involvement August 17, 2012

By K. Harris HALL OF FAMETOP 50 REVIEWER

Format:DVD

For four fact filled seasons from 1994 to 1998, "The Magic School Bus" paved the way for kids to believe that science was cool. As the television landscape continues to devolve, it's refreshing to see the Bus resurface in this Complete Series collection. Charming and educational, this animated delight is comprised of 52 thirty minute episodes. Ms. Frizzle (voiced by the distinctive and invaluable Lily Tomlin) takes her class of enthusiastic students on trips filled with fantasy and wonder. Astronomy, biology, geology, physics, chemistry, paleontology, and just about every other "ology" gets a visit or two through the course of the various field trips. However, if you're shopping "The Magic School Bus: The Complete Series," you probably want to know what is included with your investment.

Packaging: The box set looks great. The cover is done in a 3-D lenticular design that already ups the cool quotient. Each of the eight DVDs is enclosed in its own case within the set with complete episode information for easy access. Each individual season has thirteen episodes over two of the DVDs.

Content: 52 episodes at approximately 22 hours of complete running time. Recommended ages 4-10. English or Spanish language options.

Bonus Material: A 24 page kids activity guide is a nice addition (though not the most sophisticated presentation I've ever seen). More valuable is the Parents' Guide. This tool helps you orchestrate lessons with your kids and makes this an invaluable teaching tool. I, personally, love that "The Magic School Bus" advocates parent involvement as opposed to being just another TV show to plant your kids in front of (although that's certainly an option too).

Easily recommended, but perhaps cost prohibitive, there are smaller packaging choices available if you're on a budget. The ones I'm listing are new sets to DVDs (although episodes will overlap if you have previously released compilations). That is a potential pitfall to this buying strategy. If you want to collect "The Magic Bus," there are past DVD releases and new DVD releases and, if you're not diligent, it would be very easy to purchase some of the same episodes under different titles. The Complete Series choice will eliminate this possible duplication and offers every epsiode (some never before on DVD).

These two lower price compilation have an assortment of 12 episodes each:
(1) Blast Off! From Sea To Space
(2) Field Trip Fun and Games

Or even smaller, these four sets have about 90 minutes of content that bring episodes relating to a specific topic together:
(1) The Human Body
(2) Super Star Power
(3) Takes a Dive (coral reefs, tidal zones, etc)
(4) Takes Flight (weather, flying, etc.)

I love and respect "The Magic School Bus." Educational TV can be interactive and entertaining! KGHarris, 8/12.

Advertisement - Fundraiser: This One's Mine

My AUNT and UNCLE have a small boutique business for children's clothing and monogrammed items.

Each summer - they go with their church team to a small orphanage in Latvia.  They usually  raise much of their own cost for the travel and expenses.  This store is one of the ways they raise money for their trips.

You can visit their Facebook Page .... This One's Mine

Or her Etsy Page ..... This One's Mine


Some of my favorites!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/101125559/ruffle-butt-sun-suit-yellow-ladybug

http://www.etsy.com/listing/101125888/swing-top-and-ruffle-butt-bloomer

http://www.etsy.com/listing/101126084/ruffle-neck-sun-suit



But the bulk of her business - the item descriptions - fabric selections - embroidery patterns - and more .... are on her FB page.

They have a TON of pictures up for fabric and styles - but they are on the page, and not in an album.



The nieces and nephews LOVE  their Aunt Cindy creations ....   Here are a few she's made for us over the past year or two.   ....   Mostly she sews for children under 7, but you can see she is great for making matching sets for siblings or families.